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Asking Saves Kids

Just ASK: The best way to protect your kids from guns outside your home.

If you’re like most parents, you probably have some questions the first time your child asks to play with a new friend or in a new place. How will they be supervised? Are the TV shows and games age-appropriate? What about Internet access and pets and allergies? However, we’ve learned that there’s one important question that over half of parents never think to ask:

“Is there an unlocked gun where my child plays?”

In the United States, 1 out of 3 homes with kids have guns. Nearly 1.7 million children live in a home with an unlocked, loaded gun. Every parent knows that children are curious creatures. They like to explore, and if there’s an accessible gun in someone’s home, there’s a good chance they’ll find it. At the Brady Center, we hear stories every day where a child found a gun that parents thought was hidden or safely stored, and too often those stories end in tragedy.

Our goal is to make sure that your child is never a character in one of those stories. We believe that the simple act of asking saves kids. Before your child goes to play in a new space, take a moment to ask, “Is there an unlocked gun in the house?”

On a nearly daily basis I hear of a tragedy where a young person gets a hold of a gun and kills another child by accident. Just last week there were three reported deaths. It is heartbreaking and preventable.

"The Truth About Kids & Guns" report catalogues the deadly impact of a parent's unlocked gun, providing data from leading credible sources, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to show where, how and why these deaths and injuries occur.

Although children die every day from gun violence, there is something especially harrowing about these tragic acts. Schools are supposed to be safe havens where children can learn, grow, and achieve. Yet guns from the home pose a continuous threat to our schools.

On a nearly daily basis I hear of a tragedy where a young person gets a hold of a gun and kills another child by accident. Just last week there were three reported deaths. It is heartbreaking and preventable.

"The Truth About Kids & Guns" report catalogues the deadly impact of a parent's unlocked gun, providing data from leading credible sources, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to show where, how and why these deaths and injuries occur.

I remember sitting on my grandmother’s lap as a child – one of her hands on my back, the other holding a cigarette. It’s surprising sometimes to think about the large shifts we’ve made in health-related behaviors in just one generation.

"Today, I tell all parents to ask a simple question that can help prevent unintentional shootings like the one that has changed my life: "Is there an unlocked gun in the homes where my child plays?"" Sonya Barge, Markie's Mother.

Although children die every day from gun violence, there is something especially harrowing about these tragic acts. Schools are supposed to be safe havens where children can learn, grow, and achieve. Yet guns from the home pose a continuous threat to our schools.

The Truth About Kids & Guns” report catalogues this deadly impact, providing the most recent data available from leading credible sources, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to show where, how and why these deaths and injuries occur.

Children often have easy access to guns in the home. Easy access to guns can have tragic consequences for children. ASK "Is there an unlocked gun in your house?" before your child plays at, or visits, another home.